The Santa Special

Well folks, we are back from Dublin and a great recital of Handel's Messiah in a wonderful theatre, brand new and all shiny still. Not as good as a church setting but a lot more comfortable and warm. We left the car in Arklow after a thrilling downhill slide to the railway station. Stopped off to do a very large grocery shop today and just about made it back to the house. Fortunately there were only three cars on the road coming against us, so I was able to make the trip without any stops. If I had stopped on any of the uphill bits I doubt if I could have gotten going again.
Today's blip was shot in Pearse Station in Dublin while waiting for our train home. Every year the Steam Preservation Society of Ireland run a Santa Special coming up to Christmas and to day was the day. The small kids were all there, muffled up against the cold and waiting for the train to pull in for them. Santa meanwhile, was attempting to dress up in the gear, out of sight of them. I saw him though, so I guess many of the small eagle eyes did too! I even blipped him but I thought this shot of his old steam locomotive coming in with a train of vintage rolling stock was a better photo. I'm sure the excitement was wonderful as he went up and down throughout the train distributing gifts to the girls and boys as the train chugged its way northward out of the city.